Audio By Carbonatix
Landlords of garage rock The Deadly Snakes may have given up the lease this past August, but thankfully we still have front man André Ethier. With the Snakes, Ethier was known for his swagger, his “I know you know I’m a bad ass” style that resonated in lyrics such as “You better be a friend to me/You better stay my friend.” Solo, he has progressed from a woozy vagabond with a penchant for the burlesque on André Ethier With… to a more lovelorn and intense balladeer. Tracks such as “Honey Bee” and “Didn’t I Love You Better Than Him” showcase dynamic gut-wrenching pleadings from a man formerly, but no longer, too cool for school.
Not that Ethier is all slow-tempos all the time. “In With the Prim” is a repetitive shack-shaker–as if Ethier took Nick Cave’s “I’m on Fire” (contortionists and abortionists even make an appearance), cut it down and soaked it in equal parts saloon and electrified blues. Also rambunctious is “Now I Want to Be Your Dad,” which, despite its creepy romantic-cum-paternal message, is a blatant homage to the Stooges and the only lackluster track on the album.
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